Closure cap



Jan. 15, 1935. H, F. RExcHENBAcl-l CLOSURE CAP a Tu d Patented Jan. 15, 1935 cLo SURE CAP,

Hward F. Reithenbahgwaterbuy, Conn., as-

signor to The Chase Companies, Incorporated,

Waterbury,lConn., afcorporation` v Application January 13, `1933, serial No. 651,498

4 claims (ol. 22o- 44) This invention relates to improvements' in closure caps and more particul-arly to closure caps for automobile gasoline tanks and the like;

One object of this invention is to provide a closure cap in which the outer hand-grip flange is integral with the center portion carrying the vlocking means, thus overcoming any possibility of slippage of the two parts relatively to each other, such as sometimes occurs where the construction employs two vseparate parts. The integral construction made in accordance with this invention also permits more economical manufacture due to elimination of assemblyl of the two parts and inspection thereof to insure a proper rigid connection, and also permits making the closure cap in accordance with this invention out of lighter metal than is otherwise feasible.

Another object of this invention is to employ a separate center plug with the closure cap, thus permitting plugs bearing various insignia or ornamentation to be selectively assembled with closure caps to suit various'makes of automobiles.

The above and other objects and advantages will appear from the following description, appended claims and accompanying drawing forming a part of this disclosure.

In the accompanying drawing, in which certain ways of carrying out the invention are shown for illustrative purposes:

Fig. 1 is a top plan View of a closure cap made in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is a'front elevation of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a central sectional View on the line 3--3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional View on the line 4--4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an under side perspective view of the center plug shown in Figs. 1 to 4;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 3 showing a modified form of center plug and vent construction;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view on the line 7-7 of Fig. 6; and

Fig. 8 is an under side perspective view of the modified center plug shown in Figs. 6 and 7.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5, l is an annular body-member having an outer hand-grip portion 2 and an integral depressed central portion 3. The depressed central portion 3 has an annular recessed portion 4, within the annular wall 5 of which is secured a center plug 6, preferably by press fitting or forcing the plug into place.

The center plug 6 is provided with an annular channel 'l and one or more perforations 8, and

Athe wall 5 is provided with one or more perforations 9, the channel 7 and perforations and 9 thus providing the necessary vent means regardless of ywhat annular position the openings 8 may be in relatively to the openings 9. Secured to the central depressed portion 3, preferably by means of a rivet 10, :is 'a' double-ended lockingmember 11 having its opposite ends or arms 12 extending through openingsl in the portion 3. The locking-member 11 is preferably made of resilient metal so-that the locking-arms 12 will resiliently engage against suitable cam-portions 14 adjacent the. upper end-of the tankopening 15, so rthatwhenj-the closure cap is applied in the usual way-and rotated, the lockingarms 12 riding along the cam-portions 14 will draw the closure cap down so as to cause the gasket 16 to be compressed between the upper end 17 of the tank-opening 15 and the lower surface 18 of the recessed portion 4.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 6, 7 and 8 is similar to that previously described except that a modified form of center plug 19 is provided, with one or more ribs 20 having lower cutaway portions 21 and providing channels 22 which serve as vents to connect the tank with the outer atmosphere. With this construction illustrated in Figs. 6, 7 and 8, it is unnecessary to have any openings or perforations through the wall 5 of the body-member 1.

The center plug 19 may have an annular enlarged flange 23 as illustrated.

As the central depressed portion 3 is integral with the outer hand-grip portion 2, there can be no slippage of these parts relatively to each other when the closure cap is applied in locking position on a tank. As the hand-grip portion 2 is rotated, it therefore positively and without failure causes one of the two side walls 24 of each of the openings 13 to engage the locking-arms 12 and compel them to turn to locking position as the hand-grip portion 2 is rotated. This integral construction furthermore permits of the main or body portion of the closure cap to be made of comparatively light metal since there is no problem of securing any interlocking of two separate parts, thus providing marked economy of manufacture in closure caps made in accordance With this invention.

Closure caps having the hand-grip portion 2 and central depressed portion 3 integral in accordance with this invention can be manufactured in quantity and economically formed into various different-appearing closure caps, especially for diierent makes of automobiles and the like, by providing center plugs with various insignia or ornamentation as desired, and assembling these various center plugs with the single type of body-member, thus providing a very economical Way of producing closure caps for various makes of cars. The center plugs and bodymembers may be assembled by either the factory or jobber or dealer. Thus a jobber or retailer may stock a relatively large number of plugs and by selecting an appropriatelymarked one thereof and assembling the same with a body-member, various requirements may be met without the necessity of stocking a large number of complete caps.

The invention may be Vembodied in other specific forms without departing from the Vspirit or essential characteristics of the invention, and the present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope o f the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and'all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

I claim:

1. A closure cap comprising, a body member having an outer annular flange formed integral with a. centraldepressed portion, the latter having an upper annular wall provided with one or more openings, and a plug engaging said annular wall, said plug having an annular channel cooperating with said openings to provide vent means.

2. A closure cap comprising: a body member having an outer annular flange formed integral with a central depressed portion, the latter having an upstanding, upper annular Wall; and a center plug covering said central depressed portion and having a depending annular ange engaging said upstanding upper annular wall, said wall and said depending flange cooperating to provide a vent channel.

3. A closure cap comprising: a body member having an outer annular ilange formed integral with a central depressed portion, the latter having an upstanding, upper annular Wall; and a center plug covering said central depressed portion and having a depending annular ange engaging said upstanding upper annular Wall with a press-fit, said wall and said depending flange cooperating to provide a vent channel, regardless of the rotational positional relation of said Wall and said depending flange relatively to each other.

4. A closure cap comprising: a body member having an outer annular flange formed integral with an annular ring-portion Whose top surface is unWardly-convexed; said ring-portion being formed integral With a central depressed portion, which latter has an upstanding upper annular wall adjoining said annular ring-portion; and a center plug covering said central depressed portion and having a depending annular iiange engaging said upper annular Wall and having an upwardly-convexed top surface conforming with the upwardly-Convexed top surface of the ring-portion, said Wall and said depending flange co-operating to provide a vent channel.

HOWARD F. REICHENBACH. 

